DePaul Fires Dave Leitao

[Drew]

 

[Drew]

 

[rollskies]

Definitely not saying he is a good coach, but I actually like Dave Leitao. Wonder where he ends up.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Leitao could have turned Depaul into a winner if he had not taken the Virginia job. Wainright burned the program to the ground, and Purnell and Leitao couldn't build it back.

 

[HooperScooper]

But he's a good coach..............

Hats Off To Our Old Friend, Dave Leitao

That is a very good win for DePaul. As we all know, Leitao is a good coach that had a hand in helping build UConn into a national power. So, 10 years after our magical 2011 run, our first game in our return to the Big East Tournament is...DePaul. How is that for the irony?

the-boneyard.com

 

[Huskybass]

Calhoun's coaching tree certainly has mixed results. Steve Pikiell is probably the best success story currently and that was a long time in coming. I like that he has Hobbs with him, he is a great assistant.

 

[tzznandrew]

But he's a good coach..............

Hats Off To Our Old Friend, Dave Leitao

That is a very good win for DePaul. As we all know, Leitao is a good coach that had a hand in helping build UConn into a national power. So, 10 years after our magical 2011 run, our first game in our return to the Big East Tournament is...DePaul. How is that for the irony?

the-boneyard.com

I'm not necessarily convinced that getting fired makes him a bad coach. Plenty of good coaches have gotten fired.

He turned DePaul around once, but his time at UVa was pretty ugly. He had a great recruiting class coming in this year, though. You don't keep a coach for a recruiting class, but they not pull a BC.

 

[Greedo]

Leitao could have turned Depaul into a winner if he had not taken the Virginia job. Wainright burned the program to the ground, and Purnell and Leitao couldn't build it back.

Sounds like Edsall.

 

[UconnFanDC]

I'm not necessarily convinced that getting fired makes him a bad coach. Plenty of good coaches have gotten fired.

He turned DePaul around once, but his time at UVa was pretty ugly. He had a great recruiting class coming in this year, though. You don't keep a coach for a recruiting class, but they not pull a BC.

He's a bad coach.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

He's a bad coach.

I was going to say it...but there's a lot of understandable uconn love for the guy

I had acquaintances that were friends with players while he was at uva and they did not think highly of him to say the least. Sean Singletary and JR Reynolds were his (not nearly as good) bazz/boat and they kept him employed longer than he should have been.

 

[UCTitleTown]

They can get recruits. That's the bottom line. You need great recruits, and lots if them to succeed. Any coach can coach if the talent is great.

 

[UconnFanDC]

I was going to say it...but there's a lot of understandable uconn love for the guy

I had acquaintances that were friends with players while he was at uva and they did not think highly of him to say the least. Sean Singletary and JR Reynolds were his (not nearly as good) bazz/boat and they kept him employed longer than he should have been.

I had to say it. Lol. Not sure why people keep saying he turned DePaul around. No remnants of that. He had one ncaa bid and with players that were not his players. And the UVA team that went to ncaa's should have been so much better even during the regular season. My friends there did not care for him and Always said, tell uconn to take him back. Lolol

 

[tzznandrew]

I had to say it. Lol. Not sure why people keep saying he turned DePaul around. No remnants of that. He had one ncaa bid and with players that were not his players. And the UVA team that went to ncaa's should have been so much better even during the regular season. My friends there did not care for him and Always said, tell uconn to take him back. Lolol

I mean, look, I'm not going to go to the mat for him. His Virginia teams were not good. But sometimes a coach doesn't fit somewhere. My basic point is that being fired doesn't prove you are a bad coach. Plenty of good coaches have been fired.

That said, Pat Kennedy's team won:

2000: 21 total, 9 in conference
2001: 12 total, 4 in conference
2002: 9 total, 2 in conference

Leitao came in and they went:

2003: 16 total, 8 in conference
2004: 22 total, 12 in conference (he won the conference)
2005: 20 total, 10 in conference

I don't know that winning with Kennedy's players says much.

Then, from 2008 to 2015, DePaul never won more than 6 games in conference and was never within 7 games of .500.

Leitao went:

2016: 9-22
2017: 9-23
2018: 11-20
2019: 19-17
2020: 16-16
2021: 5-15

If you take away the COVID year, which genuinely screwed them over in so many ways more than pretty much any other BE team, you see a pretty clear narrative of improvement.

Let's say he's a bad coach. He was their best coach in anyone's lifetime and had the best recruiting class they've had in forever coming in. They better go big or go home here.

 

[UConnJim]

If the new BC head coach is smart, he would hire Leitao as an assistant coach if he wants it and BC is willing to pay him. Northeast ties, coached in Boston, college head coaching experience, ties in Virginia and Chicago,...

 

[gtcam]

I feel for Dave
All those that think he's a bad coach that's their opinion
I don't think Coach Jim, Karl Hobbs or Tom Moore would agree
So someone knows some folks in VA who say he sucked - that makes up my mind
I know lots of people who know Dave, know the game and have been around many years who say the opposite
He's a class act and know he will be doing something he enjoys - a great family man

 

[HooperScooper]

He was their best coach in anyone's lifetime and had the best recruiting class they've had in forever coming in.

I think this guy would beg to differ.

Anyway, I think you're trying a little too hard to say he's a good coach. I've never been around him at DePaul or UVA so I can't speak to his effectiveness. But coaching is a results oriented business and just looking at his results in general you're never going to convince me he was a good coach.

 

[superjohn]

I mean, look, I'm not going to go to the mat for him. His Virginia teams were not good. But sometimes a coach doesn't fit somewhere. My basic point is that being fired doesn't prove you are a bad coach. Plenty of good coaches have been fired.

That said, Pat Kennedy's team won:

2000: 21 total, 9 in conference
2001: 12 total, 4 in conference
2002: 9 total, 2 in conference

Leitao came in and they went:

2003: 16 total, 8 in conference
2004: 22 total, 12 in conference (he won the conference)
2005: 20 total, 10 in conference

I don't know that winning with Kennedy's players says much.

Then, from 2008 to 2015, DePaul never won more than 6 games in conference and was never within 7 games of .500.

Leitao went:

2016: 9-22
2017: 9-23
2018: 11-20
2019: 19-17
2020: 16-16
2021: 5-15

If you take away the COVID year, which genuinely screwed them over in so many ways more than pretty much any other BE team, you see a pretty clear narrative of improvement.

Let's say he's a bad coach. He was their best coach in anyone's lifetime and had the best recruiting class they've had in forever coming in. They better go big or go home here.

You are what your record says you are and as pointed out DePaul had Ray Meyer who is in the Hall of Fame.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

You are what your record says you are and as pointed out DePaul had Ray Meyer who is in the Hall of Fame.

Just acknowledging that I heard the news about Leitao first from you.

 

[ZenConn]

There's no reason why DePaul isn't better. Chicago always has great talent year in and year out and up until recently, Illinois has capitalized on keeping some of the recruits in state.

And now DePaul is arguably the worst team in Chicago behind Loyola and Northwestern and possibly in the state

 

[metsfan2323]

I've seen Bobby Hurley mentioned in a couple places listing DePaul candidates.

Archie Miller has a great resume. I know he just got fired but his career record is terrific.

 

[tzznandrew]

I think this guy would beg to differ.

View attachment 65888

Anyway, I think you're trying a little too hard to say he's a good coach. I've never been around him at DePaul or UVA so I can't speak to his effectiveness. But coaching is a results oriented business and just looking at his results in general you're never going to convince me he was a good coach.

You are what your record says you are and as pointed out DePaul had Ray Meyer who is in the Hall of Fame.

Yeah, I know that. Got a little loose. Really meant "any recruit and most fans." You can make an argument that Joey Meyer was better as well, but that was mid-90s.

 

[freshler40]

There's no reason why DePaul isn't better. Chicago always has great talent year in and year out and up until recently, Illinois has capitalized on keeping some of the recruits in state.

And now DePaul is arguably the worst team in Chicago behind Loyola and Northwestern and possibly in the state

Yes, a mystery here, Chicago is a major market in every way and needs a strong college basketball program. It had one once and it helped the entire game. NYC and LA are the same. The women's game is suffering some with DePaul not being picked due to a poor late season finish. They were top 15 at on point, quite a fall.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

There's no reason why DePaul isn't better. Chicago always has great talent year in and year out and up until recently, Illinois has capitalized on keeping some of the recruits in state. And now DePaul is arguably the worst team in Chicago behind Loyola and Northwestern and possibly in the state

FWIW, Northwestern has -0- Chicago players. Loyola only has 2 guys from the Windy City (1 public, 1 parochial) + 2 from the 'burbs. At Illinois, 1 from Chicago and 1 from the 'burbs. UIC, 3 guys from Chicago yet all 3 transferred in (2 from out of state schools, 1 from SIU Edwardsville).

Not denying Chicago has some good hoops, but perhaps 1. many Chicago players want to get the heck out of town, and/or 2. DePaul simply needs improved recruiting in general (Chicago, or globally), program management, AND a markedly better game day head coach and staff.

 

[boog204]

Always liked Leitao... I'm sure he'll land on his feet as an asst somewhere before Depaul hires him again...